System and method for notifying a user of an incoming communication event

ABSTRACT

A system and method for providing multisensory signaling capabilities enables a user to manage the receipt of incoming communication events, after an initial notification sequence, using multiple media options. Specifically, a remote device notifies a user of incoming communication events and offers real-time coupling of the notifications with communication management options. The message is delivered or otherwise processed according to the option selected.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a division of application Ser. No. 08/996,034, filed Dec.22,1997, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference (nowU.S. Pat. No. 6,122,348 issued Sep. 19, 2000).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to communication management andmore particularly, to a multisensory signaling structure that enables auser to manage the receipt of incoming communication events, after aninitial notification sequence, using multiple media options.

Recent advancements in communication technology have made push mediachannels a reality. These channels typically “push” information to adesignated receiving device (e.g., pager) without requiring a user tospecifically request the information. This, in conjunction withdevelopment of integrated text and voice at the desktop and in mobiledevices, creates an environment where users are increasingly demandingservice strategies that allow them to prioritize competing demands ontheir attention.

Not only do busy people need a way of recognizing the context—the who,what, when, and why—of an incoming notification, they also need choiceson how to respond to the request in real-time. For example, bystructuring an alerting or notification sequence to provide more contextabout the nature of an interruption (i.e., the who, what, when, and why)and then integrating communication management options that are mediaindependent, users may intercept and direct an incoming communication toa device or person of their choosing.

On the service delivery side of the equation, service providers arelooking for ways of increasing their presence to the end user. Tofacilitate this endeavor, there is a need for a notification/signalingframework that enables service providers to configure their commercialappearance to the customer and tailor communication management optionsto maximize service availability. For example, with such a framework, asports broadcaster can notify its subscribers of a particular newsworthyevent via a multimedia banner. If the event is on video, the user canthen select to receive the broadcast at their desktop computer, orperhaps listen to the play-by-play via a personal audio device.

Currently, real-time communication management options are limited (e.g.,live voice calls can only be ignored or answered). Calling LineIdentification (CLID) provides some real-time information regarding the“who” of the incoming-communication but more strictly reflects thesource device rather than the user of the device. Display of Second CallWaiting Identification (DSCWID) provides some real-time communicationmanagement by enabling users to put a second call on hold while theyfinish the first. However, the constraints of CLID limit this feature byidentifying the connection subscriber rather than the user.

In the text domain, there is currently no possibility of intercepting ane-mail on its way to an in-box. Text messaging services direct data,such as e-mail, to a user's inbox and then notify the user of itsarrival. If the user wants to view the e-mail or call the sender back,they must first enter the mailbox, select the communication, open it,read it, and then reply. Other disposition options (e.g., forward, copy,delete) can only be invoked after the user receives the communication.Currently, there are no products that allow a user to intercept acommunication during the notification sequence and re-route it toanother device or person, or request the sender to alter thecommunication media.

There are some third party service providers that integrate text-basedand voice-based communications into a single “inbox” and then notify thesubscriber of their presence. Often times the notification is to a pageror a cell phone. In the latter case, media translation devices canrecode a text file into speech. Although these services provide unifiednotification of all messages, they do not currently respond to thereal-time voice calls, and often restrict access to informationpertaining to the incoming communication to the device subscriber.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide a multisensory signaling structurethat is applicable to a variety of receiving devices to allow a user tomanage incoming communication events.

It is also desirable to provide the user with a number of callmanagement options that may be invoked in real-time.

It is further desirable to structure notifications of incomingcommunication events.

In addition, it is desirable to couple real-time notifications withcommunication management options.

It is further desirable to route an incoming communication event to areceiving device or person of the receiver's choice in real-time.

It is also desirable to employ personal, wearable communication devicesfor receiving incoming multimedia notifications and information in apreselected format.

Finally, it is desirable to allow a user to intercept a communication,during the notification sequence and re-route it to another device orperson, or request the sender to alter the communication media.

Additional desires, features and advantages of the invention will be setforth in the following description, and will be apparent fromdescription or may be learned by practicing the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Systems and methods consistent with the present invention meet thesedesires by allowing a user to manage the receipt of incomingcommunication events, after an initial notification sequence, usingmultiple media options.

A system consistent with this invention for managing an incomingcommunication event comprises means for notifying a user of the incomingcommunication event; means for providing a plurality of communicationmanagement options to the user; means for receiving a selection of oneof the communication management options; and means for taking an actionregarding the incoming communication event consistent with the selectedcommunication management option.

A method consistent with this invention for managing an incomingcommunication event comprises the steps of notifying a user of theincoming communication event; providing a plurality of communicationmanagement options to the user; receiving a selection of one of thecommunication management options; and taking an action regarding theincoming communication event consistent with the selected communicationmanagement option.

Both the foregoing general description and the following detaileddescription are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to providefurther explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments ofthe invention and, together with the preceding general description andthe following detailed description, explain the principles of theinvention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a communications management system consistent withthe present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of a communications management methodconsistent with the present invention; and

FIG. 3 shows a communications management options diagram available to auser of the communications management system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the construction and operationof preferred embodiments consistent with the present invention that areillustrated in the accompanying drawings. In those drawings, likeelements and operations are designated with the same reference numbers.

FIG. 1 illustrates a communications management system 100 including aplurality of source devices 105, terminal devices 110, and at least oneserver 115 that controls the transfer of information between sourcedevices 105 and terminal devices 110. System 100, as illustrated in FIG.1, provides a framework for implementing communications managementfunctions consistent with the present invention. Other components suchas a public switched telephone network (PSTN) or asynchronous transfermode (ATM) network (not shown) are necessary to facilitate the transferof information signals between multiple source and destination points.These networks consist of a series of network gateways that mediatecommunications between wireline, wireless, and computer networks.

Source devices 105 include a variety of media devices available to auser of system 100. These source devices may include a computer 120,telephone 125, fax machine 130, video device 135 or any other mediasource. The user or caller may use one or more of the above devices totransfer information to one or more parties over system 100.

Before attempting to contact a party, the user selects the informationfor transfer, defines whether the call is a new or return communication,chooses the type of communication link (i.e., voice or data), determinesany additional receiver communication management options, and selects asource device 105. Preferably, system 100 automatically performs thesefunctions based on the type of information being transferred andinformation previously provided by the user. In this instance, the useronly needs to provide the information for transfer to system 100.

The type of information for transfer over system 100 can be in any formsuch as a document or audio message. The format of the informationdictates the source device to be used to transfer the information. Forexample, if the user chooses to relay the information verbally or usinga prerecorded voice message, then telephone 125 would be the preferreddevice. Nevertheless, the user may wish to send a document or e-mail afile to one or more parties, which would require a fax machine 130 orcomputer 120, respectively.

The user further has the option of defining whether the call is a new orreturn communication. This feature is important since the receivingparty may be expecting an urgent return communication and thus, maychoose not to respond to any new incoming communications. The user cancommunicate this information to server 115 when configuring a call.Alternatively, system 100 can determine whether the call is a new orreturn communication based on a prior communication between the twoparties. In this instance, the prior call information is stored in amemory of server 115 as a profile specific to the user or communicationevent. A communication event is any type of voice or data transferbetween two or more points. Thus, the communication event can be thetransfer of video data or a voice message. The user can define the typeof communication link used to transfer the selected information based onthe available communication network. For example, if the user wishes tosend a photograph, then the information would be transferred over a datacommunication link such as an ATM network. However, to transfer voiceinformation in real-time, the PSTN is the more appropriate selection.

Based on the type of information transferred, the user can selectcommunication management options for the receiving party. For example,if the user wishes to transfer a voice message to a receiving partyconcerning a relative's wedding but also has a video of the wedding,both a voice message option and a video option can be transferred to thereceiving party. Any data (e.g., video, text) or voice format can beselected by the user as a communications management option for thereceiving party. This selection is only limited by the format of theinformation for transfer. Preferably, system 100 is capable ofautomatically choosing certain communication management options based onthe type of information being transferred and information previouslyprovided by the user.

Finally, the user chooses a source device 105 for transferring the voiceor data information (e.g., facsimile, audio, etc.). The communicationdevice can be any device capable of transferring information. Onefeature of the invention is to signal the user (e.g., using a ringbackfunction) when system 100 notifies the receiving party of thecommunication event. The signal may be sent back to the selected sourcedevice or a secondary device. For example, if the source device is acomputer, the user can select to receive the ringback signal on acellular telephone or pager by selecting this feature when configuring acommunication event transfer with server 115. Preferably, system 100 canautomatically choose the source device based on the type of informationtransferred and information previously provided by the user.

Terminal devices 110 may include a wearable device 140, computer 145,kiosk 150, or any other device capable of communicating voice/datasignals to a receiving party. These devices include a transceiver forbidirectional communication, and receive and transmit voice and/or textdata in real-time over a selected communication link.

Preferably, terminal device 110 is a personal wearable device 140, suchas SoundBeam™ manufactured by Nortel, that incorporates “Personal SpaceAudio” where the audio signal is not broadcast to the entire surroundingenvironment.

Wearable device 140 includes a receiver/transmitter 141, processor 142,transducer 143, memory 144, and input/output (I/O) port 146.Receiver/transmitter 141 receives and transmits voice and data signalsbetween wearable device 140 and a remote device such as server 115.Receiver/transmitter 141 allows wearable device 140 to receive personalmultimedia notifications at any time and anywhere over a wirelesscommunication link. Processor 142 can be any processor capable ofcontrolling the operation of wearable device 140 by interfacing withcomponents of the device. For example, processor 142 processes incomingsignals received through receiver/transmitter 142. Processor 142 thenroutes the signal to transducer 143 to output the signal in an audio,tactile, or visual format (e.g., beeping sound, silent vibration, ortext messaging), or memory 144 (e.g., random access memory) for storage.In addition, processor 142 can route the signal to I/O port 146 which isconfigured to interface with other terminal devices 110 such as computer145 or kiosk 150 to output the signal. These terminal devices 110 alsoinclude the components of wearable device 140 to perform functionsconsistent with the present invention as described herein.

Server 115 is a processor-based system that is customized to control theinformation transfer operation of system 100. Preferably, server 115 hashigh speed processing capability in order to service a large number ofusers and includes a memory 155 that stores a variety of software andinformation. Specifically, memory 155 stores registration software 160,subscriber database 165, communication software 170, and communicationdatabase 175.

Server 115 executes registration software 160 to register system 100devices. Registration software associates the registered devices withone or more subscribers. Server 115 stores information about thesubscribers in subscriber database 165 and communicates with system 100devices using communication software 170. Communication software 170includes software capable of transferring voice and data signals overany type of communication link. Server 115 stores information (e.g., thecommunication event) for transfer between source devices 105 andterminal devices 110 in communication database 175.

Server 115 performs a number of automatic functions includinguser/device recognition, caller recognition, communication status, andcommunication management options. In addition, server 115 providesintegrated electronic mail box functions for system 100 subscribers viaelectronic mail system 180. Electronic mail system 180 can be anyelectronic mail system capable of storing voice, text, or video mail.

Server 115 automatically supports user and device recognition.Preferably, all user devices are registered with the server usingregistration software 160. This registration process is benign such thatwhen a registered user communicates with someone via a new terminaldevice 110, the device is automatically registered. This assumes thatterminal device 110 has a characteristic signature that defines suchthings as the media channels, the communication protocols, and thebandwidth that it can support. If these signatures are not defined or ifa device is not supported by system 100, then server 115 automaticallyswitches to a default setting that enables a standard signalingprocedure (e.g., text messaging for pagers).

Preferably, unregistered users can subscribe to server 115 usingterminal device 110. In this instance, server 115 first registers thenew subscriber using registration software 160 and then storesinformation about the subscriber in subscriber database 165. Subscriberinformation is stored in all formats specified by the user and mayinclude name, address and one or more telephone numbers. These formatsmight include photos, videos, text, or audio introduction scripts thatsubscribers use via server 115 to configure appropriate headerinformation appearing in the receiving party's alerting sequence. Theheader information, stored in subscriber database 165, allows thereceiving party to hear or see the name of the calling party.

Server 115 also establishes a user-centric relational database. Ascommunication relationships develop between parties using system 100,categories for each registered user may be formed (e.g., home supportservices, office, recreational, family) and stored in subscriberdatabase 165. This high level categorization is encoded into thealerting sequence of system 100, thus allowing receivers todifferentiate between “cold” incoming communications and those fromindividuals or organizations that have established a relationship withthe receiver. As described above, system 100 facilitates the transfer ofinformation from a user to a receiving party using various communicationoptions and media formats. The following description provides the methodfor managing the communication events transferred over system 100.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a communication management methodconsistent with the present invention. Specifically, the flowchart ofFIG. 2 illustrates a signaling sequence received at terminal device 110of the receiving party. The signaling sequence includes an alertingcomponent and informing component.

Before transferring information, system 100 alerts a selected receivingparty of the incoming communication event (step 200). The alertingcomponent is brief (typically the duration of a single ring sequence ofa traditional phone) and multisensory, consisting of tactile, auditory,and visual components. System 100 bases the timing of the alertingcomponent on current telephony ring signaling. However, in system 100,only the first “ring” sounds automatically with subsequent audio andvisual output being mediated by the receiving party.

The receiving party may choose to respond to or ignore the alert signalbased on the audio or visual information sent during the alertingcomponent (step 210). Server 115 encodes categorical variables (e.g.,urgency and synchronous communication requests) via the tactile channel,and categorical or continuous variables (e.g., relationship category orname of caller) via the audio and visual channels. For example, server115 can encode the distinction between an incoming message (where thesender is not requesting synchronous interaction), and an incomingrequest for dialogue (e.g., a voice call, or video conference) in thetactile channel. In addition, server 115 can transmit the relationshipcategory (e.g., business, home, recreational) in the audio channel,while the caller name and topic is shown on a small display during thealerting component of the signaling sequence.

At the termination of the alerting component, the party may select adevice for delivery of an associated incoming communication event (step220). The party selects a device using a designated input function. Forexample, wearable device 140 may include a voice recognition responsesystem where the receiving party speaks a predetermined command into thedevice to make a selection. This selection may include any terminaldevice registered with server 115.

The selected device allows the party to see or hear more informationabout an incoming communication event (step 230). Based on its mediaformat, the incoming communication event routes either to the audiochannel or visual channel of terminal device 110. If the party directsthe communication event to a large display device, such as a computer,the user will see detailed information about the nature of the incomingcommunication. In this instance, the selected terminal device dictatesthe configuration of audio and visual channels for incomingcommunication event output. For example, a user might be seated at theircomputer when an incoming alert is detected. The computer recognizesthat the incoming communication is a return video message. The tactilechannel presents a distinct cadence that the user recognizes as amessage. The audio channel presents a signal that is recognized as areply, while the name of the caller is displayed in a small wearablescreen, together with a topic line (e.g., “video that you requested”).At this point, the user touches a predetermined button on the computerto select the computer or other terminal device on which to view furtherinformation regarding the incoming communication event.

If the selected device is not properly configured to receive theincoming communication event, system 100 informs the caller through theringback sequence. For example, the caller would be notified during theringback sequence if the receiving party selected a communication devicethat was not matched to the media configurations of the incomingrequest. If the selected device configuration is proper, server 115transmits further information about the communication event to theselected computer, as used in this example. The receiving party then,for example, touches a predetermined button on the computer, preferablylocated on a mouse, to view the additional information on the computerdisplay. The subsequent information may include a distribution list forthe communication or return communication paths preferred by the callerfor responding to the video message. If the receiving party had decidedto listen to the video message, they could have responded to the initialalert by touching a button associated with a personal audio device(e.g., wearable device 140). At that point, server 115 informs thereceiving party that a distribution list and return call paths areavailable.

In addition to the subsequent information, server 115 presents thereceiving party with communication management options (step 240). Theseoptions are described below with respect to FIG. 3. Server 115 thenprompts the receiving party to select a communication management optionfor execution (step 245). These communication management options allowthe receiving party to control receipt (i.e., how and when) of thecommunication event. Upon executing the selected option, system 100completes the communication functions available to the receiving party.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of communications management options 300 availableto the receiving party in a menu format. These options include answeringor requesting transmission of the communications event 310, retrievingand listening to a voice message 350, forwarding or “bouncing” the callto one or more parties 360, and rejecting the call 370.

Answering or requesting transmission of the communication event 310includes the suboptions of requesting the transmission now 320,requesting a change of communications media format 330, and requestingtransmission later 340. Requesting the transmission now 320 provides areal-time coupling of the communication event (e.g., video message) withthe terminal device selected by the receiving party. Requesting a changeof communications media format 330 allows the caller to select thecommunication event in an audio or visual format. The format used by thesender and the capabilities of the terminal device may preclude changesin media format. However, audio and visual components may be separatedfor the convenience of the receiving party. For example, a party mayreceive a personal multimedia alert during a meeting indicating that acolleague wants to talk immediately. Since it is inconvenient to leavethe meeting, the party can take advantage of an answer option thatallows for a request to change media. This request informs the senderthat a text message should be sent since it is inconvenient to talkright now.

Requesting the transmission later 340 prompts server 115 to save themessage in communication database 175 for later retrieval. Preferably,server 115 can mediate a later time to send the transmission. In thisinstance, server 115 initiates the later transmission at the mediatedtime. For example, when the receiving party selects this communicationmanagement option, server 115 can request a more appropriate time tosend the communication event and initiate a subsequent transmission atthat time. Alternatively, the receiving party may dial into the serverusing a password or other security function to access and retrieve themessage at a later time.

Listen to voice message 350 allows a receiver to automatically requestthat the caller leave a message rather than complete the requestedsynchronous dialogue. Server 115 informs the caller through the ringbacksequence if the receiver selects this option. Once the voice message isrecorded, server 115 then alerts the receiver of the recorded voicemessage.

Forward communication event to third party 360 allows the receiver tore-route the communication to other people or devices. The other peoplemay be part of a group registered with system 100, such as a “businesspartners” category. In this example, the receiving party requests server115 to route the call to the predetermined “business partners” categoryso that everyone within that registered group receives thecommunication. The communication event may also be forwarded to otherdevices including mail system 180. The mail system preferably includeselectronic mail, video mail or voice mail capabilities. System 100presents one or more of these mail options to the receiving party in thecommunications management options menu. System 100 also allows thereceiving party to request receipt of any replies to the forwardedmessage.

Reject caller 370 allows the receiver to deny further access from one ormore callers. This feature is useful to prevent unwanted calls ormessages from one or more callers. The receiving party may modify theaccount at a later time to permit subsequent communication with thatcaller.

System 100 offers versatile communication management techniques thatprovide a low-intrusive solution to modem personal communication needs.System 100 is not only a multisensory signaling structure that can beapplied to a variety of receiving devices, but also a tool for couplingreal-time notifications with communication management options. Thesecommunication management options allow a party to control how, when andwhere to receive incoming communications events. The party may receivethese events in a variety of media formats adding further versatility tothe system. Moreover, users of system 100 may receive incomingcommunication events on any device capable of receiving and transmittingvoice or data signals. Thus, system 100 does not require “special”equipment to provide effective communication between two or moreparties.

While there has been illustrated and described what are at presentconsidered to be preferred embodiments and methods of the presentinvention, those skilled in the art will understand that various changesand modifications may be made, and equivalents may be substituted forelements thereof, without departing from the true scope of theinvention.

In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particularelement, technique, or implementation to the teachings of the presentinvention without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore,this invention should not be limited to the particular embodiments andmethods disclosed herein, but should include all embodiments fallingwithin the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for notifying a user of an incomingcommunication event, comprising: means for determining a characteristicof the communication event; means for selecting a notification based onthe characteristic; means for sending the user the selectednotification; means for receiving a selection from the user indicating aformat for delivery of further information regarding the communicationevent; and means for allowing the further information regarding thecommunication event to be sent to the user in the selected format. 2.The system of claim 1 wherein the means for selecting includes a choicebetween at least a tactile alert and a nontactile alert.
 3. The systemof claim 2 wherein the characteristic includes synchronous communicationand the selected notification includes a tactile alert.
 4. The system ofclaim 2 wherein the characteristic includes a nonsynchronouscommunication and the selected notification includes a nontactile alert.5. A method of notifying a user of an incoming communication event,comprising: determining a characteristic of the communication event;selecting a notification based on the characteristic; sending the userthe selected notification; receiving a selection from the userindicating a format for delivery of further information regarding thecommunication event; and allowing the further information regarding thecommunication event to be sent to the user in the selected format. 6.The method of claim 5 wherein the selecting includes a choice between atleast a tactile alert and a nontactile alert.
 7. The method of claim 6wherein the characteristic includes synchronous communication and theselected notification includes a tactile alert.
 8. The method of claim 6wherein the characteristic includes a nonsynchronous communication andthe selected notification includes a nontactile alert.